Former GOP chairman Bob Waechter charged with felony

An image from a video that the Sarasota Sheriff's Office says shows former Sarasota Republican Party chairman Bob Waechter purchasing a debit card to make a donation in another's name. (Provided by Sarasota County Sheriff's Office)

Published: Friday, December 14, 2012 at 4:24 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, December 14, 2012 at 6:42 p.m.

The most powerful political player in Sarasota County politics and the former chairman of the county Republican Party has been charged with a felony after authorities say he stole the identity of a political rival and made campaign donations in her name to a Democratic candidate for Congress to embarrass her.

Facts

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Facts

Email from GOP Chairman Joe Gruters

The following message was sent by Sarasota Republican Party Chairman Joe Gruters in the aftermath of Waechter's arrest:

Dear Fellow Republicans,

You may have read the disturbing reports in today's press regarding the activities of a former Chairman of the Republican Party of Sarasota County, Bob Waechter. He is alleged to have made illegal campaign donations in last November's elections. The facts and circumstances are currently under review by the authorities.

Whether factual or not, it is important you know that the RPOS had no awareness of, nor involvement with the alleged activities. There is no place in our party for illicit campaign tactics or disreputable behavior. We do not and will not abide any actions that contravene the law in an attempt to advance personal or partisan political goals.

As Chairman of the Republican Party of Sarasota County, I will continue my efforts to ensure that the Republican Party continues to win elections by promoting our core principles of limited government, less taxes, family values and individual responsibility.

Thank you for being informed and engaged.

Joe Gruters

Former GOP chairman Bob Waechter, a public official on the Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority, was charged by the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office with the criminal use of a stolen identity for allegedly buying a prepaid debit card to make a campaign donation in the name of Lourdes Ramirez, a Siesta Key Republican.

The Sheriff's Office said that Waechter made the $200 donation in Ramirez's name to Sarasota Democrat Keith Fitzgerald's campaign. Fitzgerald was running against U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key. Waechter also made a $35 donation in Ramirez's name to Sarasota Democrat Liz Alpert, who ran against State Rep. Ray Pilon, R-Sarasota, in November.

Waechter surrendered to the Sheriff's Office on Friday afternoon, hours after officials attempted to contact his home to talk to him, according to the arrest report.

The Sheriff's Office said it tracked the $200 donation to Fitzgerald's campaign to a computer at Waechter's business, RWR Installations. The prepaid debit card was traced to a local grocery store, where deputies said surveillance video showed Waechter purchasing the card.

Sheriff Tom Knight said he was disappointed when the investigation led to Waechter, who donated to his campaign and whom he considers a friend.

“My job is to make sure that we handle every case the same, no matter who is involved,” Knight said.

Besides facing a third-degree felony, Waechter also could confront more charges through the Federal Election Commission because the fake donations were to a congressional candidate. Knight said his office has forwarded the information to the FEC at the request of Ramirez, who has already contacted the FEC to report the potential violation of federal election laws.

Few political players over the last two decades have had more influence on Sarasota County commissioners, the local Republican parties and the overall political landscape in Sarasota and Manatee counties. Waechter critics describe him as a “henchman” for developers and a “sleazy person” who was not afraid to walk an ethical line to win a battle.

Ramirez, considered a likely candidate for the County Commission in 2014, said she is still coming to grips with the allegation that Waechter, whom she knows from local Republican party circles, was behind the scheme.

“I'm shocked. In a million years I would not have guessed that,” Ramirez said. “I wouldn't think that anyone who knew that much about election law would do it.”

Ramirez said she was doubtful at first anything would come of the complaint she filed with the Sheriff's Office in early October. At the time, Ramirez said she suspected that the donation was made so that it could be used to undermine her Republican credentials in a potential campaign.

“Knowing that he's a prominent member of the community, it was good for the sheriff's department to really do their job without thinking about who it could be,” Ramirez said.

Waechter, 70, has long been a big player in County Commission politics and was key in helping get a majority of current commissioners elected.

In the 1980s and 1990s, he was a central player in the effort to re-open a channel between Casey Key and Siesta Key called Midnight Pass. Waechter was the president of the Midnight Pass Society in the 1990s and was the former president of the Siesta Key Association.

Waechter once promoted his effort with “wanted” posters for the Sarasota County commissioners, claiming they killed Little Sarasota Bay.

He was the Sarasota Republican Party chairman from 2004 to 2006. Since then he has become a leading player in county politics. He was a campaign adviser for three of the five Sarasota County commissioners — Carolyn Mason, Nora Patterson and Charles Hines, all Republicans. And he was one of four people Commissioner Christine Robinson cited as a reference when former Gov. Charlie Crist appointed her to a vacant seat on the County Commission.

Robinson declined to comment on the arrest. Hines did not return a request for comment.

Waechter is not just a political adviser to most of the county commissioners — he is also a close personal friend and has deep business ties with some.

Patterson said she has known Waechter for decades and she and her husband have business dealings with him. The Pattersons own property with Waechter and others in Manatee County, Patterson said.

“He's a good friend, and he does sometimes give me his opinion on an issue,” she said. “Sometimes I agree, sometimes I don't. I certainly wish him no ill.”

Patterson said she has no current plans to break the business relationship.

“Besides, he's not convicted,” she said. “Give him a chance to defend himself.”

Mason, who said she considers Waechter a friend and a mentor since she switched to the Republican Party in the late 1990s, was surprised to hear of the charge.

“Really? Wow,” she said. “That's disappointing.”

Waechter was an adviser to Mason's first campaign for the County Commission in 2008, a particularly brutal race between Mason and Democrat Jono Miller. In that race, Miller was battered with last-minute attack ads showing a bearded heavyset man — not Miller — dancing in a tutu.

Dan Lobeck, a controlled-growth advocate, has clashed with Waechter over the years because Lobeck sees him as a “spokesman” for prominent local developers and their interests.

“He has been the designated henchman of the big development interests for several years,” Lobeck said of Waechter. “He speaks for them at County Commission meetings, he spearheads their political efforts. It's no secret that the development interests, they saw Lourdes as a very strong candidate for the public interest, which is not their interest.”

Waechter also dabbled in Manatee County politics. In the 2012 Republican primaries, he ran a political committee called Take Back Our Government that used donations from real estate developer Carlos Beruff, a fellow airport authority member, to run campaign mailers against Manatee County Commissioner Joe McClash, a Republican.

McClash, who lost his re-election campaign, said Waechter practices “sleazy” politics and “deserves what he gets.”

<p>The most powerful political player in Sarasota County politics and the former chairman of the county Republican Party has been charged with a felony after authorities say he stole the identity of a political rival and made campaign donations in her name to a Democratic candidate for Congress to embarrass her.</p><div class="art_item art_item_inset art_item_facts">
<h3>Facts</h3>
<h4>Email from GOP Chairman Joe Gruters</h4>
<p>The following message was sent by Sarasota Republican Party Chairman Joe Gruters in the aftermath of Waechter's arrest:<br><br>Dear Fellow Republicans,<br><br>You may have read the disturbing reports in today's press regarding the activities of a former Chairman of the Republican Party of Sarasota County, Bob Waechter. He is alleged to have made illegal campaign donations in last November's elections. The facts and circumstances are currently under review by the authorities.<br><br>Whether factual or not, it is important you know that the RPOS had no awareness of, nor involvement with the alleged activities. There is no place in our party for illicit campaign tactics or disreputable behavior. <br>We do not and will not abide any actions that contravene the law in an attempt to advance personal or partisan political goals. <br><br>As Chairman of the Republican Party of Sarasota County, I will continue my efforts to ensure that the Republican Party continues to win elections by promoting our core principles of limited government, less taxes, family values and individual responsibility. <br><br>Thank you for being informed and engaged.<br> <br>Joe Gruters</p>
</div>
<p>Former GOP chairman Bob Waechter, a public official on the Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority, was charged by the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office with the criminal use of a stolen identity for allegedly buying a prepaid debit card to make a campaign donation in the name of Lourdes Ramirez, a Siesta Key Republican.</p><p><A HREF="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/540457-bob-waechter-arrest-report.html" target="_blank">The Sheriff's Office said</a> that Waechter made the $200 donation in Ramirez's name to Sarasota Democrat Keith Fitzgerald's campaign. Fitzgerald was running against U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key. Waechter also made a $35 donation in Ramirez's name to Sarasota Democrat Liz Alpert, who ran against State Rep. Ray Pilon, R-Sarasota, in November.</p><p>Waechter, a real estate investor, did not return calls seeking comment.</p><p>Waechter surrendered to the Sheriff's Office on Friday afternoon, hours after officials attempted to contact his home to talk to him, according to the arrest report.</p><p>The Sheriff's Office said it tracked the $200 donation to Fitzgerald's campaign to a computer at Waechter's business, RWR Installations. The prepaid debit card was traced to a local grocery store, where deputies said surveillance video showed Waechter purchasing the card.</p><p>Sheriff Tom Knight said he was disappointed when the investigation led to Waechter, who donated to his campaign and whom he considers a friend.</p><p>“My job is to make sure that we handle every case the same, no matter who is involved,” Knight said.</p><p>Besides facing a third-degree felony, Waechter also could confront more charges through the Federal Election Commission because the fake donations were to a congressional candidate. Knight said his office has forwarded the information to the FEC at the request of Ramirez, who has already contacted the FEC to report the potential violation of federal election laws.</p><p>Few political players over the last two decades have had more influence on Sarasota County commissioners, the local Republican parties and the overall political landscape in Sarasota and Manatee counties. Waechter critics describe him as a “henchman” for developers and a “sleazy person” who was not afraid to walk an ethical line to win a battle.</p><p>Ramirez, considered a likely candidate for the County Commission in 2014, said she is still coming to grips with the allegation that Waechter, whom she knows from local Republican party circles, was behind the scheme.</p><p>“I'm shocked. In a million years I would not have guessed that,” Ramirez said. “I wouldn't think that anyone who knew that much about election law would do it.”</p><p>Ramirez said she was doubtful at first anything would come of the complaint she filed with the Sheriff's Office in early October. At the time, Ramirez said she suspected that the donation was made so that it could be used to undermine her Republican credentials in a potential campaign.</p><p>“Knowing that he's a prominent member of the community, it was good for the sheriff's department to really do their job without thinking about who it could be,” Ramirez said.</p><p>Waechter, 70, has long been a big player in County Commission politics and was key in helping get a majority of current commissioners elected.</p><p>In the 1980s and 1990s, he was a central player in the effort to re-open a channel between Casey Key and Siesta Key called Midnight Pass. Waechter was the president of the Midnight Pass Society in the 1990s and was the former president of the Siesta Key Association.</p><p>Waechter once promoted his effort with “wanted” posters for the Sarasota County commissioners, claiming they killed Little Sarasota Bay.</p><p>He was the Sarasota Republican Party chairman from 2004 to 2006. Since then he has become a leading player in county politics. He was a campaign adviser for three of the five Sarasota County commissioners — Carolyn Mason, Nora Patterson and Charles Hines, all Republicans. And he was one of four people Commissioner Christine Robinson cited as a reference when former Gov. Charlie Crist appointed her to a vacant seat on the County Commission.</p><p>Robinson declined to comment on the arrest. Hines did not return a request for comment.</p><p>Waechter is not just a political adviser to most of the county commissioners — he is also a close personal friend and has deep business ties with some.</p><p>Patterson said she has known Waechter for decades and she and her husband have business dealings with him. The Pattersons own property with Waechter and others in Manatee County, Patterson said.</p><p>“He's a good friend, and he does sometimes give me his opinion on an issue,” she said. “Sometimes I agree, sometimes I don't. I certainly wish him no ill.”</p><p>Patterson said she has no current plans to break the business relationship.</p><p>“Besides, he's not convicted,” she said. “Give him a chance to defend himself.”</p><p>Mason, who said she considers Waechter a friend and a mentor since she switched to the Republican Party in the late 1990s, was surprised to hear of the charge.</p><p>“Really? Wow,” she said. “That's disappointing.”</p><p>Waechter was an adviser to Mason's first campaign for the County Commission in 2008, a particularly brutal race between Mason and Democrat Jono Miller. In that race, Miller was battered with last-minute attack ads showing a bearded heavyset man — not Miller — dancing in a tutu.</p><p>Dan Lobeck, a controlled-growth advocate, has clashed with Waechter over the years because Lobeck sees him as a “spokesman” for prominent local developers and their interests.</p><p>“He has been the designated henchman of the big development interests for several years,” Lobeck said of Waechter. “He speaks for them at County Commission meetings, he spearheads their political efforts. It's no secret that the development interests, they saw Lourdes as a very strong candidate for the public interest, which is not their interest.”</p><p>Waechter also dabbled in Manatee County politics. In the 2012 Republican primaries, he ran a political committee called Take Back Our Government that used donations from real estate developer Carlos Beruff, a fellow airport authority member, to run campaign mailers against Manatee County Commissioner Joe McClash, a Republican.</p><p>McClash, who lost his re-election campaign, said Waechter practices “sleazy” politics and “deserves what he gets.”</p>